Importance of the universal realization of the right of peoplesto self-determination and of the speedy granting of independenceto colonial countries and peoples for the effective guarantee andobservance of human rights

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolutions 2649 (XXV) of 30 November 1970, 2955 (XXVII) of 12 December 1972, 3070 (XXVIII) of 30 November 1973, 3246 (XXIX) of 29 November 1974, 3382 (XXX) of 10 November 1975 and 33/24 of 29 November 1978, and Security Council resolutions 418 (1977) of 4 November 1977 and 437 (1978) of 10 October 1978,

Recalling also its resolutions 2465 (XXIII) of 20 December 1968, 2548 (XXIV) of 11 December 1969, 2708 (XXV) of 14 December 1970, 3103 (XXVIII) of 12 December 1973 and 3314 (XXIX) of 14 December 1974, on the use and recruitment of mercenaries against national liberation movements and sovereign States,

Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General,1/ of the letter dated 14 June 1978 from the representative of Senegal 2/ transmitting the text of the resolutions adopted by the Ninth Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, and of the letter dated 6 September 1978 from the representative of Yugoslavia 3/ transmitting the documents of the Conference of Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Non-Aligned Countries,

Recalling the Maputo Declaration in Support of the Peoples of Zimbabwe and Namibia and the Programme of Action for the Liberation of Zimbabwe and Namibia, adopted by the International Conference in Support of the Peoples of Zimbabwe and Namibia, 4/ held at Maputo from 16 to 21 May 1977, and the Lagos Declaration for Action against Apartheid5/ adopted by the World Conference for Action against Apartheid,

Taking note of the Political Declaration 6/ adopted by the First Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity and the League of Arab States, held at Cairo from 7 to 9 March 1977,

Considering that the activities of Israel, in particular the denial to the Palestinian people of their right to self-determination and independence, constitute a serious and increasing threat to international peace and security,

Reaffirming its faith in General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, and the importance of its implementation,

Reaffirming the importance of the universal realization of the right of peoples to self-determination, national sovereignty and territorial integrity and of the speedy granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples as imperatives for the full enjoyment of all human rights,

Affirming that "bantustanization" is incompatible with genuine independence, unity and national sovereignty and has the effect of perpetuating the power of the white minority and the racist system of apartheid in South Africa,

Reaffirming the obligation of all Member States to comply with the principles of the Charter and the resolutions of the United Nations regarding the exercise of the right to self-determination by peoples under colonial and alien domination,

Welcoming the independence of Solomon Islands,

Reaffirming the national unity and territorial integrity of the Comoros,

Indignant at the continued violations of the human rights of the peoples still under colonial and foreign domination and alien subjugation, the continuation of the illegal occupation of Namibia and South Africa's attempts to dismember its territory, the perpetuation of the racist minority régimes in Zimbabwe and South Africa and the denial to the Palestinian people of their inalienable national rights,

1. Calls upon all States to implement fully and faithfully the resolutions of the United Nations regarding the exercise of the right to self-determination by peoples under colonial and alien domination;

2. Reaffirms the legitimacy of the struggle of peoples for independence, territorial integrity, national unity and liberation from colonial and foreign domination and foreign occupation by all available means, particularly armed struggle;

3. Reaffirms the inalienable right of the peoples of Namibia and Zimbabwe, of the Palestinian people and of all peoples under alien and colonial domination to self-determination, national independence, territorial integrity, and national unity and sovereignty without external interference;

4. Demands the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of France from the Comorian island of Mayotte, which is an integral part of the Federal and Islamic Republic of the Comoros;

5. Condemns the policy of "bantustanization" and reiterates its support for the oppressed people of South Africa in their just and legitimate struggle against the racist minority régime in Pretoria;

6. Condemns the violations of the sanctions ordered by the Security Council against the illegal rebel régime in Southern Rhodesia and accordingly deplores the decision of the Government of the United States of America to allow Ian Smith to enter the United States;

7. Reaffirms that the practice of using mercenaries against national liberation movements and sovereign States constitutes a criminal act and that the mercenaries themselves are criminals, and calls upon the Governments of all countries to enact legislation declaring the recruitment, financing and training of mercenaries in their territory and the transit of mercenaries through their territory to be punishable offences and prohibiting their nationals from serving as mercenaries, and to report on such legislation to the Secretary-General;

8. Condemns the policies of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and of other countries whose political, economic, military, nuclear, strategic, cultural and sporting relations with the racist régimes in southern Africa and elsewhere encouraging these régimes to persist in their suppression of the aspirations of peoples for self-determination and independence;

9. Again demands the immediate application of the mandatory arms embargo against South Africa, imposed under Security Council resolution 418 (1977), by all countries, particularly by those countries that maintain military co-operation with the racist Pretoria régime;

10. Strongly condemns all Governments which do not recognize the right of self-determination and independence of all peoples still under colonial and foreign domination and alien subjugation, notably the peoples of Africa and the Palestinian people;

11. Strongly condemns the ever-increasing massacres of innocent and defenceless people, including women and children, by the racist minority régimes of southern Africa in their desperate attempt to thwart the legitimate demands of the people;

12. Further condemns the expansionist activities of Israel in the Middle East, as well as the continuous bombing of civilian Arab and, in particular, Palestinian populations and the destruction of their villages and encampments, which constitutes a serious obstacles to the realization of the self-determination and independence of the Palestinian people.

13. Demands the immediate release of all persons detained or imprisoned as a result of their struggle for self-determination and independence, full respect for their fundamental individual rights and the observance of article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, under which no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment; 7/

14. Notes with appreciation the material and other forms of assistance that peoples under colonial and foreign rule continue to receive from Governments, United Nations agencies and intergovernmental organizations, and calls for a maximization of that assistance;

15. Takes note of the studies by the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, dealing with the following subjects:

(a) Historical and current development of the right to self-determination on the basis of the Charter of the United Nations and other instruments adopted by United Nations organs, with particular reference to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms; 8/

(b) Implementation of United Nations resolutions relating to the right of peoples under colonial and foreign domination to self-determination; 9/

16. Requests the Secretary-General to give maximum publicity to the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and to give the widest possible publicity to the struggle being waged by oppressed peoples for the realization of their self-determination and national independence;

17. Decides to consider this item again at its thirty-fourth session on the basis of reports that Governments, United Nations agencies and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations have been requested to submit concerning the strengthening of assistance to colonial Territories and peoples under foreign domination and control.

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Notes

1/ A/33/199 and Add.1-3.

2/ A/33/151.

3/ A/33/206.

4/ A/32/109/Rev.1-S/12344/Rev.1, annex V. For the printed text, see Official Records of the Security Council, Thirty-second Year, Supplement for July, august and September 1977.